Strangers
by Searchingformyheart
Summary: "Hey, listen. I mean, it was kind of just a one-night thing. I can't see it, me and you, you know? Sorry." "That's…That's fine by me." Or so they said. He thought he wouldn't ever see the blue-haired shorty again. But fate- and nosy friends- had other plans.
1. A Little Fun

**Chapter 1: A Little Fun**

"Shut the hell up," Gajeel growled for the millionth time that night. Natsu's stupid grin was really pissing him off.

"Come on, Gajeel, aren't you having fun?" He asked, shattering a couple of eardrums in the process. He staggered a little- Natsu didn't quite know when to quit the drinks.

"Oi, Natsu," Lucy said exasperatedly. "You should really go home. I'll call a cab for you."

"Will you go home with me?" The ever-oblivious pinkette asked. Lucy's cheeks reddened as she sent him flying with a kick.

Gray let out a laugh, smirking at their antics. Juvia was drooling over him- no different than usual.

But Gajeel didn't understand what was so _fun. _It was all Erza's fault, anyways- the girl had just turned twenty one and was overly excited about going to a club for the first time- so naturally she had to drag everybody along. Personally, the music was too loud and bubbly for his taste. He much preferred his original rock songs to this pop trash.

And so, as it were, he had been sitting at the bar for over two hours, refusing to socialize. He paid no attention to any of the sultry women who had tried to seduce him, nor their sizable assets. One glare was all it took for them to back off.

He cracked open an eye in disgust as he heard the scrape of a chair as someone occupied the spot next to him. And then the other eye opened, as he displayed just the tiniest bit of interest.

The girl who had just taken a seat was very different than the ones from earlier. Small and petite, she definitely didn't go near the definition of sexy. To be perfectly honest, she was rather flat, but adorable. Her hair interested him. It was a bright cobalt blue; unlike any he'd ever seen.

He was generally accustomed to strange hair colors- heck, birthday girl herself donned a head of scarlet locks. And the ever-infuriating Natsu could blend right in with flamingos. But her hair color was soothing to the eyes- it matched her, somehow.

The final intriguing thing was that she wasn't looking at him. She wasn't looking at anybody but the bartender, but even then it was more so at the drink in his hands than at the person himself. She had a small, easy smile on her face. And her eyes were not exactly innocent, hiding something just a bit deeper. They were intelligent and large, and held an earnest kind of air.

He smirked. _I've decided. She interests me. I'm going to take her home._

"You don't seem the type to be able to hold your liquor," he casually commented, setting his drink down and turning towards her.

Cocking her head, she smiled gently. "Oh, try me."

"What's your name?"

"Levy. Levy McGarden."

He grinned. He could have a little fun with this.

* * *

**New story. The pairing is, if you couldn't tell, Gajeel x Levy. The chapters are gonna be pretty short- maybe some longer ones as the plot 's mostly just going to be dramatic and roundabout and cute. Review please!**


	2. Morning Goodbyes

**Chapter 2: Morning Goodbyes**

She awoke the next morning to the sun on her face. For a moment, she thought she was back in her home, in quiet Carolina, but then she remembered that she wasn't a kid anymore and that she was in New York and she had gone to a club and met someone and- oh.

She turned over in the bed, but came face-to-face with only a pillow. Gazing towards the doorway, she saw the figure of the man she had gone home with. A slight blush arose as she sat up, pulling the blankets up to cover herself.

The man grunted. His name was Gajeel, if she remembered correctly. Things were fuzzy. "What's the point of that? I've already seen everything anyways."

Her blush only intensified at his untactful bluntless. "I-I'm trying to have some decency!"

He waved a hand. "Whatever. Just put on your clothes and go."

"Eh…?" Her massive hangover was really not doing wonders for her comprehensive abilities.

He turned around, raising an eyebrow. "I mean, you didn't think I was gonna make you breakfast and then we were gonna learn shit about each other and go on a date or some fairy tale shit like that, right?"

"Oh…O-Of course not," she stuttered, feeling the heat in her cheeks. For some reason, she felt humiliated.

His expression softened by just a tiny bit. "Hey, listen. I mean, it was kind of just a one-night thing. I can't see it, me and you, you know? Sorry."

She shook her head. "No, I know! That's-That's fine by me."

She hurriedly got dressed, and with a pounding in her small temples, she neared the doorway.

Gajeel looked down at her. "How old are you?"

"Twenty one," she responded, feeling her voice come out small. He was attractive, no doubt, but also intimidating as hell. Just how drunk had she been last night? He was definitely not her type. She felt like laughing just attempting to picture him as a Prince Charming.

He snorted. "You sure are a midget."

"I am not short!"

He smiled, for the first time. Easily resting his arm on top of her head, he grinned down at her. "You keep telling yourself that."

She huffed. "Whatever. Bye."

"Bye, Lexi."

"My name's Levy!" She snapped, feeling offended. He held up his hands.

"Sorry. I was pretty drunk."

_I was too, _she thought, _but at least I remembered your name. Whatever. He looks so rough- he's not really worth my time. _

He watched her disappear down the street from the window of his apartment. An involuntary grin appeared on his face, albeit a small one. Upon noticing its existence, he scowled and turned away to get ready for class. Whatever. It wasn't like he'd ever see her again.

* * *

**Tada. The whole thing's generally third person, but each chapter focuses on either of them and their thoughts more so than the other. Hope you enjoyed it leave a review blahblahblah :)**


	3. Erza Has a Picnic Dream

**Chapter 3: Erza Has A Picnic Dream**

Gajeel inwardly screamed with frustration. How much goddamn energy did Erza have? They had just gone clubbing, not to mention his hangover! And why did they have to go on a goddamn picnic? That sort of girly shit tarnished his fearsome reputation! Yet, he didn't dare defy her- he wasn't _that _crazy. It was one of the few things he and Natsu _and _Gray agreed on: Erza was a scary motherfucker.

Sitting alone under the tree, he crossed his arms and sniffed. The others were fooling around, much too lively for his taste. The weather was quite nice, a pristine blue sky dotted with fluffy bits of white. He found himself thinking about that girl- Lexi, Levy, whatever it was- and her hair. He blamed it on the color of the sky- it wasn't like he would've voluntarily thought about that midget. She had been a feisty yet shy one.

"Someone to talk to would be nice now," he muttered, stroking his cat. Lily purred under his large hands, his silky black fur ruffling in the breeze. "All this idiots know how to do is destroy shit." _That Levy girl hadn't been so bad to talk to. Kind of interesting, the way she talked back to him. _He cursed at himself for thinking about her again. _She's not my type at all. And you won't see her again; you don't even remember her last name, much less her phone number. Not that I would call her._

His eyes brought him a substantial surprise, though, as he looked up to see Lucy bouncing her way towards to group- with a very familiar shorty in tow. _Of all places. Goddamnit, if Erza gets wind of what happened…_

"Hey, guys! Sorry I'm late. Levy and I were working the library shift when I got your text. Is it okay if she joins us for lunch?"

"OF COURSE!" Erza exclaimed, eyes alight with excitement. Grasping Levy's small hands in her own, she shook them so hard Gajeel thought the poor girl might go flying. "The more the merrier!"

That was when she looked over at him and her eyes widened. He sniffed and looked away, silently praying to god she wouldn't say anything. Her own eyes narrowed slightly and she went back to chatting with Lucy and Erza.

But of _course _Dragneel had to bust in. "OIIIII, GAJEEL!" He screamed across the hill, beckoning the tough man. Gajeel stood up out of irritation and habit when confronted with Natsu's voice.

"Shut the fuck up! I'm like ten feet away from you!"

She was staring at him, he noticed, with a somewhat indescribable expression on her face. _Fuck. _

"Meet Levy!" The flamingo said cheerfully, jerking a thumb at the short girl. He debated for a couple seconds whether or not to reveal that they sort of knew each other.

Thankfully, she saved him from having to make the decision. "Nice to meet you, I'm Levy McGarden. What's your name?"

_So McGarden is her last name. What the fuck kind of gay name is that? _He thought, while politely taking her hand. He probably owed her that much. "Gajeel Redfox."

_So his last name is Redfox. What kind of strange name is that? _She thought, smiling widely at him to conceal her awkwardness.

In broad daylight, he looked a bit different than the curtain sun showed him. He was much bigger than she remembered; nicely muscled- even she had to admit that. A mess of black hair sat atop his head, and piercings prodded several of his facial features. He was dressed in a casual dark gray t-shirt and jeans. His features were outlined more clearly, and she could see his eyes. His piercing eyes, the colors of which leaned towards red. Fascinating.

"Sit!" Erza commanded, causing Gajeel to immediately drop, forgetting to let go of Levy's hand. She crashed down with him, somehow twisting to end up somewhat over and on top of him.

She blinked, rubbing her head. He smirked at her, taking to opportunity to jab at her. "Feel familiar?"

She blushed again- he thought she got embarrassed far too easily.

"You're kind of a jerk, aren't you?"

He shrugged. "It doesn't cause me any problems, so why not?"

She huffed and looked away, getting up. "You're never gonna get a girlfriend."

"Fine by me."

* * *

**Erza's so spazzy. I just love her.**

Review!


	4. Holiday Occasions

**Chapter 4: Holiday Occasions**

Not long after, the November holiday of Thanksgiving was upon them. He hadn't seen her since about a week ago, at the whole picnic debacle. Thankfully, Erza hadn't caught on. If she had, he was quite certain they'd already be married with nine children.

He thought about maybe inviting the gang to his lonely apartment for Thanksgiving, but decided it against. He didn't need anybody. Besides, Erza probably had something planned.

But the day came and no invitation arrived. He wondered if he, specifically, had not been invited. The thought pained him just a bit, although he would've never admitted it.

Turned out that Erza had been plotting at ways to get Natsu and Lucy together for Thanksgiving, spending all her free time and energy on them, only to find out they were having dinner together anyways at Lucy's rented house. "Not like that, though," the blonde had protested. Natsu was just oblivious.

By then, it was too late to assemble any sort of large feast and gathering, so Erza would probably decide to awkwardly third wheel- or pay a visit to Jellal, who had been imprisoned for drugs, or something. The details weren't clear to him.

He sure as hell wasn't going to invite Gray and Juvia only, as he knew the two of them would only serve to either irritate him or irritate him. _Guess it's just me this year._

He headed out around two in the afternoon, scantily dressed for the cold weather in just a tank and sweatpants. He arrived at the grocery store sneezing. But that was no matter. He was stronger than some stupid gale winds.

Muttering to himself, he picked out some vegetables and a loaf of bread, as well as some cranberry sauce, before buying the turkey.

In hindsight, he thought, as he stood waiting for the subway, maybe he shouldn't have bought a whole turkey. He could eat a lot, sure, but not _that_ much. Even if Lily helped him, there were sure to be leftovers.

There was also the problem of actually cooking dinner. In his haste to prepare something for the holidays, he had forgotten that he didn't actually possess any culinary skills.

His thoughts were cut short when the subway arrived. As the doors slid open, he was shocked to see that they revealed a mop of cobalt blue hair._Just my luck. Why do I keep running into her?_

She looked surprised, too, but quickly smoothed out her features to a somewhat friendly mask of indifference. "Hello, Gajeel."

"Hey," he responded gruffly, stepping into the crowded subway.

They rode the subway for a couple of stops in silence. Finally, she asked, "Aren't you cold?"

He tsk-ed. "No. I'm quite strong."

"Manly, to be sure," she replied. He thought he detected a strong hint of sarcasm.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He snapped. He noticed that she was laden with groceries as well. And that her orange scarf looked really nice on her.

"Oh, nothing," she said lightly, widening her hazel eyes innocently. He made a clicking noise with his tongue.

A couple more stops passed without any communication between them. _Dammit, there's still a ways to go before my stop,_ he thought. She was fiddling with the straps of her plastic bag.

"Who're spending Thanksgiving with?" He asked, just to break the silence. A nice girl like her had to have a lot of friends.

She shook her head. "Just me, I'm afraid. Lucy and Natsu are spending it together this year. I was invited, but of course I would be intruding. And most of my friends are on vacation. You?"

"Me too." An idea suddenly struck him. "Do you know how to cook?"

"Of course," she responded delicately. He smiled at his own genius.

"Come home with me."

"W-What?" She stuttered at his bold request.

"You don't have anyone to spend it with, right? So come home with me. I need somebody who can cook all this shit I just bought," he explained, still impressed with his solution.

She sniffed. "Hmph." _He's kind of using me. But he's right, and I don't want to be alone..._

He scoffed. "You already did it once, what's so hard about again?"

Her mouth dropped open at his slightly atrocious- and completely tactless- comment. "That's different! I-I was drunk!"

He shrugged. "Whatever. What's it gonna be?"

She opened her mouth, about to tell him no, but unfathomably, the word "Fine" slipped out, not quite as sassy as she would've liked. He grinned.

What was it about this man?

"Alright, let's go. This is our stop."

* * *

"Honestly though, how do you manage to forget that you can't cook and buy this many groceries at the same time?" Levy asked, giggling far more than necessary. The wine had gotten to her head.

"Shut up," Gajeel defended, trying to save his pride. "I have more important things to do than remember stuff like that."

This caused Levy to laugh and lurch forward, a smile that could light up the room adorning her features.

And of course, that caused him to crack a smile, and finally, laugh as well- leaning forward as if drawn by some invisible force. This was all quite stupid in his opinion; how had he ended up having Thanksgiving dinner prepared by Levy McGarden?

But he wasn't thinking quite straight, and all he could really see at that point was her unexplainably enchanting smile on her lips- soft lips, he remembered. And of course, her head wasn't quite on straight either, and she found everything falling out of focus except his beautifully piercing red eyes, floating closer and closer.

Before either of them knew it, they were kissing over the tabletop, drunk as hell, and then somewhere along the way they had left the table and they were in the doorway now, still locked together and hands all over each other. Then she tripped backwards onto the bed and he followed, and the sheets devoured them both.

Lily meowed in the corner.

* * *

**Shit's gonna get complicated eventually. I think. I also adore Panther Lily, but for the sake of this story he's just going to be an ordinary (albeit very cute) cat.**

**Review please!**


	5. Preposition

**Chapter 5: Preposition**

With more than a slight feeling of déjà vu, Levy McGarden once again found herself blinking awake to the gentle sunlight...in someone else's bed.

However, this time, when she turned around she came face-to-face with the gently snoring Gajeel. She observed him for a moment, noting how in sleep he wasn't intimidating at all, features all smoothed out. In fact, he was quite cute.

His eyes snapped open. "What're you looking at?"

"N-Nothing!" Levy quickly stammered and flipped around again, embarrassed that he had caught her staring. She heard him chuckle.

Covering herself with the sheets, she rose out of the bed and pulled on her shorts. Then, she reached blindly for her shirt, but discovered that it was nowhere to be found.

"What's wrong?" Gajeel asked, already dressed in sweatpants.

"Um...I can't find my shirt...haha."

He scratched his mane of unruly black hair. "Seriously?" He bent down under the bed and searched with her, but came up empty too.

Close to panicking, Levy wondered what she was going to do. It wasn't like she could just walk out swathed in bed sheets.

That was when she felt a soft piece of fabric hit her in the head. Reaching up for it, she looked down to see one of Gajeel's sweatshirts in her hand. "Just wear that for now." She glanced at him. He was looking away indifferently, but she thought she detected a tiny smile trying to escape. She gave a smile of her own.

After slipping on his sweater, she laughed nervously while looking down. It was much too large. The collar was practically slipping off her shoulder. "I look dumb, don't I?"

Gajeel looked at her for the first time. The sweater was probably five sizes too big, but the gray color matched her hair and fair complexion nicely, and emphasized her petite figure. He suppressed the urge to gather her in his arm and hug the shit out of her. For god's sake, he didn't even like her. He grunted. "It looks fine."

She smiled and then they stood around awkwardly for another couple of moments. "Alright, well...I better go," she said quietly, reaching for her jacket and scarf on the couch. "Or do you want me to help you clean up?" She asked, indicating last night's leftovers, scattered across the tabletop.

He waved his hand. "Leave it. Virgo will take care of it."

She didn't bother asking who Virgo was. Probably a girl toy of his. Is that what Levy was, now? "Okay, then."

She stumbled towards the door, managing to look graceful at the same time. But she tripped on a stray wineglass, and flailed as she went down.

"Careful." Gajeel's gruff voice accompanied a strong arm around her small waist. She had to admit; his arm provided a huge sense of security that was rarely come by. Of course she would never voice that aloud. "You almost stepped on Lily."

She looked down in surprise, seeing a furry black mound at her feet. "Oh my gosh…he's adorable!" Bending over, she rubbed the black cat gently on the head.

Gajeel, meanwhile, just stood behind her. Possibly admiring the view.

Levy seemed to realize that she had gotten off-track. "Ah, I should go."

She was almost out the door when Gajeel sighed. "Wait."

She turned around, eyes sparkling inquisitively. "Hm?"

He scratched his head, looking away. "You made me Thanksgiving dinner, so I guess I at least owe you breakfast. IHOP okay?"

Levy couldn't disguise the grin creeping onto her face at his offer. "Sure."

* * *

"So you've _never _had a girlfriend before?" Levy asked disbelievingly, in between pancake bites. Gajeel crossed his arms.

"I said I haven't asked anyone out before. I suppose I've had things, but none of them were ever official."

"Hm, makes sense," Levy said thoughtfully, before taking another bite. "You don't seem much like the type to settle."

He smirked. "I'm not. Women get so boring after a bit. You can't just stick with one."

Levy rolled her eyes. "You're a bad boy, aren't you?"

He shrugged. "And you're a good girl. Aren't you?"

Levy blushed. Somehow, they way he said it implied that it was an insult. "N-No, not exactly."

He guffawed. "Oh, please. I bet you're the kind of girl who spends her free time reading books. Dreams about a Prince Charming, and hasn't missed a day of school in her life."

Her cheeks grew red at his spot on prediction. "As a matter of fact," she retorted, "I happen to be missing class right now."

Gajeel rolled his eyes. "College doesn't count." And then he grinned at her. "But I guess I must be pretty important then, huh?"

She 'hmphed'. "Don't flatter yourself. It's just that you owe me a meal and I intend to collect my dues."

"Riiight."

She finished up her breakfast in silence, refusing to give him the satisfaction of meeting his cocky gaze. But after a while, she could feel his stare turning into something more observant. It made her squirm.

"What?" She snapped. "Stop staring at me. If you have something to say, say it."

"I was just thinking," he yawned. "It's funny how we keep running into each other."

A part of Levy's mind flashed back to all the books she had read, and proclaimed, _It's fate!_ But the majority of her brain was unable to match the man in front of her to any fairy tale Prince. "It is awfully coincidental."

"Maybe it's fate," he said teasingly. "Telling us to be friends…"

Levy nodded along with him, slightly surprised that he thought that.

"…with benefits," he finished, grinning. She let out an inward sigh. That made much more sense.

"I-I don't know about that. Don't you have some other girl you can get with?" She replied, feeling just a bit hurt that he wasn't at all interested in dating her and only wanted her when he was lonely.

He shrugged again. "They're all boring me. You're new."

_He really makes me sound like an object, _she thought bitterly. _I can't agree to this…_

"I mean, it's not that hard. We get lonely, we get drunk, we call each other and that's that," Gajeel said, raising an eyebrow. Levy frowned.

"That's called _fuck buddies, _not friends with benefits," she retorted. He waved his hand.

"Same thing, ain't it?"

"No, you're right. Friends with benefits would imply that we're actually friends," she snapped, annoyed at his blunt manner.

He grinned wickedly. "Ouch." He leaned back in his chair, putting his arms behind his head. "So, what's it gonna be, Levy McGarden?"

"You're shameless."

"Maybe."

"I-I…" _I do get lonely sometimes. And if he's going to use me, who's to say I can't use him as well? _ "Alright. I better give you my number."

He smiled softly, mostly to himself. Got her.

* * *

A ringing in the middle of the night signaled to the still-awake Gajeel that someone was calling him. _Who could be up at this crazy hour?_

"Gajeel?"

"Me."

"It's Levy. I-I…I 've changed my mind."

The blue-haired girl couldn't stop fidgeting on her end, biting down on her lip and trying hard not to cry. She had really just called him on an impulse whilst in the middle of breaking down, reliving memories of past, lost loves.

_People always step all over me, _she thought sadly. _I don't want to be used. _

"…Alright, then."

"Okay."

A beep. He had hung up. She wondered if he would ever call again, and while she tried to convince herself that she didn't care, she felt an undeniable prick of fear.

* * *

**Haha, you thought this was gonna be a friends-with-benefits type deal. Sorry folks, but I'm afraid their relationship is gonna be more complicated than that.**

**Love you guys and review! :)**


	6. Erza Finds Out

**Chapter 6: Erza (And Subsequently Everyone) Finds Out **

It was a fine November morning, just after Thanksgiving. Erza Scarlet was on her daily ten mile morning run when she spotted a head of bright blue hair and a ruffled mane of black, exiting an apartment...together. She promptly dove into the bushes and watched the pair, eyes wide with fervent delight. She waited until they were around the corner, and then stealthily followed them all the way to the breakfast place. There, she placed herself against the window and listened to the whole conversation, hardly believing her luck.

"Uh...ma'am? I'm afraid you're not allowed to-"

"SHUSH!" A single punch and the employee was out. The boxing queen Titania hadn't earned her name for nothing.

Hiding herself quickly when she realized they were exiting, she resumed her jog once they were out of sight, mind full of possibilities and knocked out employee completely forgotten.

* * *

The next day, Natsu, Gray, and Lucy were all gathered in Lucy's house (generally against the blonde's will) to hear an "important" announcement from Erza.

"Eh? You sure?" Gray asked, raising an eyebrow. Erza nodded rapidly.

"Levy?!" Lucy exclaimed, appearing to be in shock. "With _Gajeel_?!"

Natsu snorted. "I can't see it. Metal brain's too violent for her."

"It was cute!" Erza declared, glaring at the pink-headed boy. He shivered, immediately offering his agreement

"I don't understand!" Lucy wailed. "How could Levy not tell me?!"

Gray leaned away from her, concerned about his eardrums. "You're hanging out with her later, aren't you? I'm sure she'll tell you then."

Erza scooted over to Lucy, a scary look in her eyes. "You're hanging out with Levy?"

"Y-Yes...?"

"You know what this means, don't you?"

"N-No ma'am...?!"

"INSIDE INFO! You must interrogate her!" She pointed a fierce finger at each of them. "And the rest of you must not let them know we're onto them."

Erza walked away, muttering excitedly under her breath, "I wonder if Mirajane will help me get them married."

Gray sighed. "What is she so excited about, anyways?"

Natsu grinned. "I don't know, but I'm fired up too!" With that, he ran off after Erza.

"Idiots," the now shirtless boy commented.

"Gray, your clothes..."

"Fuck!"

* * *

Erza and Natsu were both headed to the local bar, Fairy Tail, where the beautiful- and meddlesome- Mirajane Strauss bartended. The doorbell rang as they walked in.

"Hello, Erza, Natsu!" She greeted them cheerfully. "Here so early?"

"We actually just wanted to talk to you, Mira," Natsu responded with equal mirth.

"Are you free right now?" Erza asked. Mira gestured around the mostly empty bar.

"So you know Gajeel, right?"

"Mhm." Erza, Gajeel, Natsu, Gray, and Lucy hung out at Fairy Tail frequently.

"And Levy, right?"

"Yep." Levy also came along sometimes, but that was mostly with Cana, Juvia, Jet and Droy. Gajeel never took part in those because he hated Jet and Droy. All three of them had gone to the same high school.

"They're hooking up!" Natsu exclaimed.

Mirajane's mouth fell open. "Those two? But they seem so unlikely!"

Erza nodded. "But it's true. I saw it for myself."

She made a face. "You saw them hooking up?"

Erza grew flustered. "N-No! I overhead them agreeing to be friends with benefits." She coughed, regaining her serious composure. "Anyways, I had hoped that you would assist me and Natsu in getting them together."

Mira cocked her head. "Aren't they already together?"

Erza shook her head. "Dating is another matter altogether."

The pretty bartender nodded, an evil grin spreading on their face. "Of course."

Erza started to glow with a determined air as well. "Alright then."

Natsu shivered at the hostile air.

* * *

Gray went to the pool. He held record times for the local area, and possibly within the country, but he didn't care much for competition. Many people told him his talents were wasted, but he really just swam because he loved it and it helped him clear his mind.

Juvia was tagging along again, and while he had to admit she was also quite good at swimming, he knew she was just scheming on him again. He pretended not to see her and dove into the pool. _Shorty and Metal Brain, huh? Weird._

* * *

Lucy headed to the library, where she volunteered along with Levy. Afterwards, they were going to hang at the park for a bit before heading over to Fairy Tail, as the gang usually did on Friday nights. She assumed that since Levy was coming today, so would Jet and Droy, and as a result, not Gajeel. She frowned, wondering if it would be different now that Levy and Gajeel were friends with benefits.

She arrived at the library, pushing open the back doors. She quickly spotted Levy's petite frame and blue hair, flitting around sorting books, her red reading glasses sitting on her nose.

At the sound of the door, Levy looked over and greeted Lucy with a smile, and then a huge sigh. "Lucy...I have so much to tell you!"

* * *

Gajeel woke up at around four PM. Realizing that he had missed his morning classes but finding that he didn't particularly care, he looked over at his phone, remembering the call Levy McGarden had made at around 4 in the morning. He scratched his head, telling himself that it didn't bother him at all.

She was just another girl.

He stepped out of his bedroom to find Virgo bustling around and cleaning up his apartment. He found her attractive, but had never made a move on her, simply because, well, Virgo was rather odd.

She was off in her own little world most of the time, talking to herself and spouting weird phrases like "Punishment?" and "Fanservice!" She was even weirder around Lucy, calling her Princess and such. He had no idea what the hell went on in her mind. As far as he was concerned, Virgo was just a maid that he had hired to clean his apartment whenever he requested, introduced to him by Lucy.

He yawned, stretching. Why had that little shrimp changed her mind, anyways? She hadn't seemed very opposed to it at the time. And at four AM, no less. He chuckled darkly at the thought of her up all night debating about it. He was right about her, good girl and all. The times she had slept with him she had been drunk. Apparently she thought better of it when she was sober.

What had he been doing, anyways, asking that of her, of all people? She wasn't his type at all. He much preferred confident, dark, sensual women.

_So why did you take Levy home instead of them, that night_? A small voice in his head asked.

"I don't fucking know," he muttered. "I'm trying to figure that out, fucking stupid brain."

Great. He was starting to act like Virgo.

* * *

**So I know this is a Gajeel x Levy fic and all, but I always like to provide a little insight into each of the other characters as well. A story's no fun with just two people. I also keep accidentally making the chapters longer...oops.**

**Pretty please review?**

**P.S. Do you guys ship Gruvia?**


	7. Not Quite Coincidence

**Chapter 7: Not Quite Coincidence**

"So you told him no after that?"

Levy nodded. "I just… it was really early in the morning. Like four, or something. And I was listening to music and reading books and his song came on and I just remembered him, again. A lot. Everything."

Lucy took Levy's hand in hers. "Seriously, fuck him. Forget about that arrogant ass. You deserve so much better than Freed."

Levy managed a small laugh. "I guess."

Lucy drew her hands away, knowing that Levy didn't mean it at all. They _had _dated for a year and a half. Damn that Freed. She had always been a little bit suspicious of him, even though Lucy tended to see the best in people. He had seemed too perfect, all good at writing, perfect for literature loving Levy. So gentlemanly, just like Levy always dreamed about.

Levy wished Lucy hadn't been right about him, but there was nothing she could do. It had been over nine months, but late at night the thoughts still crept in, and she still remembered him. She remembered how soft his hair was and how gentle his embraces, how kind and loving he was. Or she thought he was.

Gajeel was completely different, needless to say. But she felt an undeniable attraction and it scared the hell out of her. The more she hung around him, the worse it would get. And she couldn't afford that. She could feel the churning in her stomach when she thought about it, the fear of getting close again.

Lucy's phone buzzed. "Oh, it's Virgo. She's my family's maid. Hmm… she says she had some old books to get rid of. She asked if I wanted any." She tapped her chin. "I just bought a lot, actually. I don't have any shelf space left. Do you want to check it out?"

Levy nodded, grateful for the distraction. _Virgo…sound familiar. _ "Sure. Where is it?"

Lucy texted her the address. "It's pretty close to here. We can go together."

They both got up and shelved the last few books, then started to walk out of the library building.

"LUCY!" Lucy developed a noticeable shiver as the librarian towered over her. "You're not done here. You haven't paid your overdue fees."

"Wha-wha?" She squealed. "But I don't have any money on me!"

"GUESS YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO WORK FOR IT, HUH?" In a flash, Lucy's ear was pinched between her fingers, and she was being dragged back.

Levy laughed. "I'm sorry, Lu-chan. Is it okay if I go first?"

Lucy sniffled. "Run, Levy. I'm sacrificing myself for you. You'll spot Virgo pretty easily. She's got bright pink hair and a permanent maid outfit."

She chuckled and started to walk away, throwing a last "Pay your fees next time!" over her shoulder.

She turned down a couple streets, humming to keep her mind occupied. Twilight was falling. She breathed in the chilly air, feeling rather content at the moment, although a certain person occupied the back of her mind. Following her phone's map, she suddenly arrived at a familiar apartment complex. "Oh gosh."

She hadn't recognized his address. She didn't actually know it. But this building was definitely the one he lived in- or a hell of a lot similar.

No, it was definitely it. She could spot the pink-haired maid waving her over. _I hope he's not home._

"Hey, Virgo!" She greeted the girl cheerfully.

"Hello, Princess' friend."

Levy laughed, a little wryly. "Just call me Levy!"

"Yes ma'am, whatever you desire." Levy sighed inwardly. This girl seemed a little thickheaded.

"This way. The books are in the apartment." Virgo motioned for her to come. Levy reluctantly followed her into the elevator, praying it wouldn't stop on the ninth floor.

"So, why are you only wearing that small skirt in the winter? Aren't you cold?" Levy questioned. Virgo looked at her strangely, like her answer was supposed to be obvious. Seventh floor.

"Fanservice, of course." Eighth.

"For who?" Levy muttered, heart sinking as the doors opened on the ninth floor. The maid bluntly ignored her question as she led Levy into the apartment with the open door.

It was much cleaner than it had been before, which she assumed was because of Virgo. The only messy part of the apartment left was the bookshelf area.

He was sitting on the floor, looking exactly as he did the last time she saw him. Gray sweatpants, no shirt. Which was quite contradicting in her opinion. His back was facing her, and he held a book in each hand. He appeared to be sorting the mess in front of him.

He heard her come in, small footsteps weirdly different than those he remembered of energetic Lucy's. Nevertheless, he greeted her as he turned around. "Yo, Lu…"

"…cy." He finished slowly, blinking at the sight in front of him.

Levy cleared her small throat, feeling a little embarrassed for some reason. "She couldn't make it, haha. She sent me instead, because I love books."

He didn't say anything for a moment. Then, he turned back towards the books. "Figures."

_What the hell is that supposed to mean? _Levy pouted for a moment. Then, he patted the carpet next to him. "Hurry up if you're gonna pick the books. This is the pile I don't want."

Levy set down her phone and took off her scarf and jacket, revealing her simple outfit of leggings and a sweatshirt. She kneeled down next to him, taking the first book and scanning the summary.

After a couple of minutes of telling himself not to look at her, he couldn't resist to urge to glance at her. Then he smirked. "Are you wearing my sweater?"

Levy looked down in surprise, and then started to blush as she realized what she had blindly put on that morning in her haste to get dressed and get to her internship. "No, it's not like that!"

He nodded at her sweatshirt. "You sure? Because it looks a hell of a lot like mine."

She was stammering now. "I mean, it _is _yours, but I didn't wear it on purpose, I just got up late today and threw something on."

He snickered. "Okay. Are you ever gonna give it back to me?"

"Y-Yes, of course, I'll give it to you now if you-" she was halfway through taking it off when she realized she wasn't wearing anything but her bra underneath. Blush intensifying, she lowered it. "Or not. I'll give it back to you some other time."

He let out a laugh. He had an odd laugh, she noticed vaguely, but she was mostly too busy being embarrassed. "Whatever, it's fine."

They didn't speak for a while after that, except for the occasional "Are you sure I can have this?" and "Should I keep this, is it good?". Gajeel found that surprisingly, he didn't mind the silence around them. There was a certain comfort in her sitting next to him. She had a big presence in the room for someone so small.

After picking out around four or five books, Levy checked her phone. "Oh, I have to go."

Gajeel stretched. "Fairy Tail, right? It's Friday…I guess I'll go too."

She looked up in surprise. "You go there a lot with them?"

He shrugged. "Yeah, sometimes."

"How come we've never met before that time?"

He cocked his head. "Not sure, actually. But we did meet eventually."

Levy was glad the atmosphere wasn't awkward around them. Smiling, she gathered up her jacket and handed the books to Virgo, who instantly disappeared to deliver the books to Levy's dorm. "Okay, then let's go."

He tugged on the back of her jacket. "Not so fast."

She glanced up. He grinned. "Aren't you gonna thank me?"

At his tone of voice Levy's thoughts immediately raced through the more suggestive options, but she quickly dismissed that. Hopefully that wasn't what he meant. "H-How?"

He smiled at her. "Oh, I'll think of a way. Maybe you should buy me a drink."

* * *

_About an hour ago_

"Did it work?" Natsu asked eagerly, getting right in front of Lucy's face. She could feel a slight blush arising at his proximity. He honestly had no idea that standing so close to someone could actually affect them.

"Yeah, I think so," she said, leaning away from him. "I did exactly what Erza told me to."

"Did you find out information too?" He asked, leaning back as well and putting his hands behind his head.

Lucy looked down. "Yeah, the situation is different. They're not together in any way. She called it off. I was going to abort the plan, but I don't know. Something about the way she talks about him… it's different than with Freed. She was all lovestruck about him, but towards Gajeel it seems more like real, denied, affection. I thought he could make her better."

Gray snorted. "I'd be surprised."

Juvia, who very rarely disagreed with her beloved Gray, spoke out unexpectedly. "Well, I can see what Lucy means. Gajeel acts tough, but I've known him for a long time. His heart is true on the inside."

Natsu scratched his head, the finer details muddling his brain. "Agh, man, I'm still pissed at Freed bout that. What an idiot. I'm going to beat him up the next time I see him for hurting my friend."

Lucy sighed. "No, you won't. Have some civility."

Cana cracked up. "Like you're one to talk. You were the first person to give him a good bashing."

Lucy blushed faintly and defended herself. "I couldn't help it. He made my best friend cry."

Gray scoffed as Natsu whined about Lucy being a hypocrite. "Come on, guys. Erza's gonna want a full report tonight."

* * *

**SCHEME TEAM IS ON THE MOVE :)**

**Haha, so yeah, you get to see a bit more of Levy's reasoning. Of course i haven't told the whole Freed story yet, but you can probably guess what happened anyways. (I know, I know, Levy and Freed? Weird. But I just figured they both were rune users and...yeah...that was basically my only basis for this unlikely ex-pair.) I'm not sure if it's spelled Freed or Fried, but you get the idea.**

**Review babes bc I love you **


	8. Miss Somebody

**Chapter 8: Miss Somebody**

_God, _he never would've went if he knew _those_ two were gonna be there. Why hadn't Erza warned him like she normally did? If there was a fight, it was gonna be her fault- she couldn't blame him this time.

Jet told another unfunny joke. Droy yelled something. Blahblahblah. If they didn't shut up in the next two seconds, he swore he was going to strangle one or the other. Maybe both, bash their heads together like Erza did with Gray and Natsu all the time. He _had _always wanted to try that.

He clenched his drink tighter and took a swig, reminding himself not to lose control. The last time that had happened, Headmaster Makarov has taken him, Natsu, and Gray into his office and whined about all the papers he was gonna have to do. Erza got off scot-free.

He looked around for the little shrimp. Where had she gone, anyways? She disappeared with Lucy into the bathroom over ten minutes ago. _It's not that I want her company or anything, _he told himself. _I'm just bored and Jet and Droy are driving me fucking nuts._

"Hey guys!" Speak of the devil. Or think. Whatever. He was feeling kind of woozy. He turned around, opening his mouth to make a snarky remark- when he realized that his mouth was hanging open for a different reason.

She had changed out of his sweatshirt. That was for sure.

He couldn't stop his eyes from taking all of her in. Tight black dress was an unexpected, but _definitely _good look on the midget. Somehow. She had taken out her orange headband too, and her loose hair fell around her shoulders in mesmerizing waves. She tossed his sweatshirt at him.

Fumbling just a bit, he managed to catch it and tear his eyes away from her. "Thanks," he said gruffly. "What took so long?"

She shrugged, running a hand through her pretty cobalt hair. "I was getting dressed. Lucy gave me an old dress of hers."

"Uh-huh." He took another big swig, blinking a couple of times. _The fuck is this weird feeling…? I'm probably just drunk. _Down went another swallow.

"Levy!" Two annoyingly familiar voices chimed. _Dear god. She knows those two nutjobs?_

"Oh hey, Jet, Droy!" She said happily, with a smile on her face. "It's nice to see you."

"Levy!" Droy cried again, squashing her with a hug. "It's been forever!"

"Hey, it's my turn!" Jet shoved him aside and picked Levy up easily, setting her on the counter before hugging her (seeing as he was a lot taller.)

Levy smiled, a little exasperatedly. "It's been two days."

"Whatever, we missed you!" They chorused, shedding tears.

Gajeel frowned. "Wait," he slurred. "You guys are friends?"

"Hm?" Levy looked at him. "Oh, yeah. I've known these two forever. We're really good friends."

He frowned some more. They were so annoying. They were annoying before, but now they were…annoying-er. He didn't really know why, and he didn't feel like finding out. They just were.

A feeling in his gut bubbled at the thought of Levy hanging out with the likes of these two. He didn't know what that was, either. Tch.

The evening drawled on, and he just got drunker and drunker. For some reason, he still couldn't block out the sound of Levy's laugh as she consorted with little devils. And Lucy. Lucy was okay. The rest of them were not. Why weren't they? Hmm… he couldn't remember why.

"Hey," he slurred, reaching out a hand a grasping someone by the shirt. "Shut up." He could vaguely see orange hair coming into view. What was this annoying peasant's name again? Jay? Jake? Jet?

"What's your issue?" The words echoed in his head. Issue? What issue? He had an issue?

"Don't fucking talk to me like that," he growled, taking a messy swipe at the peasant's head.

Before he knew it, he was knocking over tables and roaring, and he heard Gray's voice from the back of his mind. "Don't do that, Erza will kill you!"

"Yeah," he heard Lucy agreeing. "Don't forget what happened last time Natsu made a scene."

"I scrubbed her dorm for days," the pink-haired idiot groaned.

"Levy, why don't you take him home?" Mira's gentle voice sounded.

"W-Why me?" Levy stuttered, a little annoyed. This felt like a total set-up.

Everybody gave her a sweet smile in unison.

"Fine," she grumbled, taking Gajeel's arm. "Come on, we're going to your house."

But he resisted, easily ignoring her tugging, seeing as he was much stronger. "But you don't even like me," he slurred. "Go hang out with the peasants."

_Peasants? Does he mean Jet and Droy…? _Levy wondered, watching him reach for another drink. "H-Hey, stop that. You're causing a scene. No more drinks."

"You don't like me," he mumbled. "Well I don't like you eitherrr…"

"Ugh," Levy groaned, finally managing to yank him away from the bar. "Come on, let's go." She led him outside with moderate difficulty, then looked around for her car.

Gajeel leaned on her heavily. He seemed on the verge of falling asleep. "Your hair," he murmured.

Levy situated him in the passenger seat and buckled him up before responding. "What?"

"Your hair is so fucking pretty," he said, before passing out.

Levy closed the door and climbed in the driver's side, blushing slightly. "Levy, stop," she muttered to herself. "He's just drunk. He just complimented your hair, anyways. Hair."

She glanced over at Gajeel, crumpled in the seat, breathing heavily. She brushed some of his hair out of his face, and then suddenly stopped herself. "Goddammit, just drive him home."

It only took around ten minutes to get him to his apartment. Once there, she sighed and shook him roughly, knowing that a gentle approach would probably not work. "Gajeel, get up. We're here."

After some more intense shaking and a whole lot of support and prompting, she managed to get him through his door and to his bed. He collapsed, face red and yawning.

"Okay I'm gonna go. Good night," she said, turning away.

He grabbed her hand. "Hold on," he slurred.

With minimal effort, he managed to yank her on the bed next to him.

"Hey, stop that!" Levy tried to push him away, feeling her heart bounce irrationally. "I'm not gonna sleep with you." _I'm not drunk this time…_ she realized. _Is that why?_

"I don't want to," he murmured back, burying his head into her shoulder. "I'm tired."

"Then go to sleep," she responded exasperatedly, trying to wriggle out of his grasp, but to no avail.

He hugged her tighter. Slowly, she let herself relax, realizing that she couldn't move.

"You're weird," he said, voice muffled. Man, she really was weird. She totally wasn't his type or whatever. Not to mention her hair was fucking blue. But for some reason he liked holding her better than almost anyone else he had been with.

She reminded him of _her_.

He dimly felt a small pain. _God, I fucking miss her. _

"Don't leave," he mumbled, before he drifted away.

"Yet I would if I could," Levy sighed softly. The way he held her was different than Freed had. Freed had smelled so nice, and his arms were warm and inviting and gentle. And he'd whispered that he loved her in her ears, and she had felt content, like she could sleep there forever. _I mean, in the end he turned out to be a liar, but you know. _That boy could really spin his words.

Gajeel was nothing like that. He was holding her so tight- like he was afraid she'd slip into nonexistence if he budged an inch- that she could hardly breathe in her position. He smelled like alcohol, and loneliness, somehow. And he literally just called her weird before passing out.

She wiggled around to find a better position, so that she didn't get crushed to death. She ended up buried in his chest.

_He's warm, too. I feel weirdly safe._

She shook her head. God, what was she thinking these days? Gajeel wasn't the type to make people feel safe. Just the opposite, in fact.

She couldn't say that he reminded her of Freed, exactly. But for the first time in a while, she felt her heart skip a beat.

_Guess we all just miss somebody._

* * *

**SO I THOUGHT I UPLOADED THIS CHAPTER BUT I GUESS I DIDN'T AGH I'M SO SORRY I HOPE U ENJOYED THE SORTA FLUFF AT THE END LMAO IDK **

**i'll love you guys for daysss if you got me to fifty reviews within the next few chapters! But it's okay I already do even a little review would make my day :) **

**-Sea**


	9. Ice

**Chapter 9: Ice**

_Shit._

He had gotten way out of hand last night. That much was obvious, judging by the pounding in his head- not to mention the pretty little girl he was clutching tightly.

She was clothed, so nothing had really gone down. He felt an irrational desire to laugh at that, but the pain in his temples quickly reminded him that nothing was funny.

She was awake- he could tell by her fidgeting, even though her face was buried in his chest. He look down. "Hey, midget."

She froze. "Uh, let me explain. This is your fault."

He did laugh this time. "I can't really remember anything, but it probably is."

She was silent for a second. "Can you let go of me now?"

He grinned and pulled her even closer. "What if I don't?"

She squeaked, which Gajeel somehow found irresistibly adorable. "Then I'll punch you," she responded defiantly, followed with a weak hit that he barely felt.

He loosened his grip, cracking up. "Damn, shorty, I'm gonna have to teach you how to punch sometime. We gotta get you some training with Titania."

She wiggled out of his arms, pushing herself away from the bed. "You owe me for last night."

He yawned. "Why, what happened?"

"I drove your sorry ass home, that's what happened," she snapped, looking irritated. "And then I couldn't get home, because _somebody_ wouldn't let go of me."

He chuckled. "You're pissed, aren't you?"

Her expression changed from one of annoyance to downright anger. "Yes, I am! What's so funny about that? Am I really so unimportant to people that my anger doesn't mean anything?"

Gajeel stopped laughing. "I didn't mean it like that."

She frowned, looking hurt. "Well, it sure as hell sounded like that."

He cocked his head. "Hey, I'm sorry."

She looked surprised. "You are?"

He blinked. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because he never said sorry," she muttered, so low that Gajeel hardly caught it. He had exceptional hearing, though.

"Who?"

She gave a start, and he realized she hadn't intended for him to overhear that. He frowned at her. "I feel like you haven't told me something."

"I was never obligated to tell you anything," she shot back. "And anyways, you're not one to talk. You were mumbling last night."

_Shit. What did I say?_ He cautiously voiced this aloud to Levy.

She sniffed. "I don't know. Something about not wanting me to leave."

He breathed a mental sigh of relief- so he hadn't started babbling about _her_ pathetically.

She eyed him critically. "But that wasn't really to me, was it?" She asked softly.

He stiffened. "What do you mean?" He asked neutrally, feigning innocence.

She sighed and sat down on his bed. "If you tell me, I'll tell you."

"Tell you what?" His voice was gruff. "How I got fucking screwed over?"

Fuck. His voice came out much more vulnerable than he would've liked. But she nodded, slowly. "And I'll tell you how I got screwed over, too."

He sat for a while, and she did too. No words were exchanged.

"I don't know," he said, finally. For some reason, his voice was quiet and soft. "There isn't much to say. The story doesn't matter. All you really need to know is that I ended up feeling like-"

"-shit," she finished, eyes gleaming. He looked at her.

It was a foggy morning. Or maybe it was just really early, because through the window he couldn't see any sunlight, or dawn rays filtering through the clouds. It was cold and dim and in the ice of the morning, her cobalt hair fell softly and messily around her shoulders. Her eyes shined with the minimal light that the sky provided. It was so cold, he could see the goose bumps on her pale skin, he could feel it to his core.

He felt sad.

He also felt an irresistible urge to kiss her.

And when he did, he swore he felt just a little bit warmer.

And, although he would never admit it, his heart, for some unfathomable reason, didn't ache so much when she kissed him back.

**Sorry for the late update. I've been having a straight up horrible time at school- the workload is enough to kill, and I've honestly been feeling awful. So I'm really sorry about updating so late, and i hope you guys will forgive me and provide feedback anyways. **

**About this chapter- I wanted to show their natural connection as people who have been hurt and are not ready for another relationship, but are unwittingly getting one by seeking comfort in each other. I don't want their relationship to start healthy, because those never make for good stories, you know? It has to be messy and complicated and up and down. **

**Anyways, thank you for reading. Review?**

**-Sea**


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